1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data management. Specifically, the present invention relates to data storage and recovery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Information systems are generally defined as systems, which manage information or data. Modern information systems typically include technology components, such as computer and communication hardware, used to facilitate communication between end-users. In addition, storage devices and software may also be considered components of an information system.
Various industries are based on the development, deployment, and management of information systems. For example, in a general sense, the Internet may be considered one large information system. Modern businesses make extensive use of information systems. For some businesses, information systems technology is the heart of the business and is critical to business operations. Therefore, any damage to the information system, the data used to operate the information system, or data stored on the information system could be disastrous for the business.
As a result, an entire industry is directed toward recovering the data, hardware, and software in an information system when a disaster occurs. The industry is loosely known as the “disaster recovery” industry. Disaster recovery typically involves a disaster recovery plan, which identifies the types of potential disasters and defines techniques to recover from a disaster should one occur.
A number of different types of disasters may occur and require the implementation of a disaster recovery plan. The types of disasters are typically referred to as threats to the information system. For example, the threat may be a man-made threat or a natural disaster. Man-made threats may include anything from faulty software to acts of terrorism. Natural disasters may include a flood or a hurricane that damages a computing facility, which houses the information system.
As a result, a disaster recovery plan may identify various threats, propose solutions to safeguard against the threat, and propose solutions for recovering data. Currently, a variety of conventional solutions are used to recover information or data in an information system. Many of these solutions revolve around backing up the data in the information system so that the data can be restored.
Backing up data for disaster recovery can be a costly endeavor if the proper backup procedures are not implemented. For example, depending on the size of the information system, a separate information system and associated support staff may be required to support the backup. Further, once there is a backup, the process of reconstructing the data is not trivial. Data reconstruction may often take a significant amount of time and money.
Current disaster recovery systems have various technical shortcomings. For example, current backup procedures are typically directed at backing up data and rarely backup other aspects of the information system. Since most disaster recovery systems concentrate on data, it may be difficult to get a complete picture of the information system before the disaster and, therefore, a complete recovery may not be possible. In addition, data storage becomes a problem, depending on the amount of data that is going to be stored; mass-storage may be required. Lastly, the media used for data storage may not be stable over time. For example, tape media has been shown to degrade over time and may not be suitable for long-term data storage.
In addition to the backups associated with disasters, companies often upgrade their computer systems and as a result, need to move data on old systems to new systems. Typically, a backup is required as part of this process. However, moving information between systems presents the same type of problems that occur when performing disaster recovery. While reconstruction of the data is possible, a full reconstruction of the system is typically not possible.
Thus, there is a need for a cost-effective disaster recovery system. There is a need for a method and apparatus of moving or restoring data. There is a need for a disaster recovery system that provides a complete picture of the information system prior to failure or disaster. Lastly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for storing large amounts of data on a durable medium that will last for a substantial period of time.